Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection - August 25, 2024

As our son left the house each morning to go to high school, either my wife or I would say, “Make good choices today.” We wanted him to understand that he, and he alone, had the power to make choices about his behavior that day. No matter what his friends were saying or doing, only he controlled what he would say or do. If he made a bad choice, it would not help him to tell us that his friends also got into trouble.

In this weekend’s first reading, Joshua tells the Israelites, “Decide today whom you will serve…As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua knew that the decision to serve the Lord was not the easy choice. It involved commitment, sacrifice, and humility. Serving “other gods” would likely be easier. Joshua also knew that he could not force the Israelites to serve the Lord. It was their choice. At the end of this passage, we read that the Israelites did, in fact, choose to serve the Lord. However, over the ensuing years, their level of commitment varied from strong to non-existent.

We each make a personal choice to have faith in Jesus Christ. It is a difficult choice because it involves accepting more than one “hard saying.” Our choice involves opening our hearts and minds to the possibility that there is someone greater than ourselves who we cannot see or feel in the traditional sense. Our choice also involves accepting the fact that the Son of God came down from Heaven for our salvation, returned to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, and left us the gift of His flesh and blood in the Eucharist. Whatever we decide, we must recognize that we are making a conscious choice and that we alone have the power to make that choice. As with my son, it doesn’t matter what our friends say or do. It is a choice that defies logic, is counter-cultural, and is focused on the long term, not the immediate. It continues to be a choice that involves commitment, sacrifice, and humility. But if we choose wisely (and remain committed to our choice), we proudly get to say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” God Bless!

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection - August 18, 2024

Throughout the Bible, “wisdom” is always sought after and almost always held in high esteem. I say, “almost always” because the New Testament contrasts “earthly” wisdom, which is not wisdom at all, with divine or “Godly” wisdom. This weekend’s passage from the book of Proverbs is an invitation to all to partake of that ongoing experience of Godly wisdom.

In this weekend’s passage from the Book of Proverbs, Wisdom is portrayed as a wealthy, generous woman who has built a fine home with 7 pillars, prepared a lavish meal, and sent “her maidens” to invite all to partake. She does not limit her invitation to the elite. Instead, she invites “all who are simple.” She wants all to partake of her feast and live the life that God has designed for us. This life includes God’s generous gift of wisdom which is always available to us. The book of Proverbs reminds us that wisdom can always increase even among the wise. In the book of James we read, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.” James confirms that God is the source of wisdom and that His wisdom is available to all.

With wisdom, we “walk in the way of insight” which means that we can discern and follow God’s path for use. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul declares that Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God.” If Christ takes on Proverb’s role of Wisdom, then walking “in the way of insight” is walking in the way of Christ. Paul reinforces this point in his letter to the Ephesians where he writes, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise…try to understand what is the will of the Lord.”

And so, as we contemplate wisdom, let’s remember that: All wisdom comes from God; God invites all of us to partake of His wisdom; and, gaining wisdom is a continuous, lifelong endeavor. As the 70s rock band, Kansas, sang, “If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don’t know.” We must be humble enough to admit that we can never be wise enough.

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection - August 11, 2024

Fighting and internal strife were common problems in the early church. The letter to the Hebrews reminds early Christians to avoid distractions: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” However, rather than embrace the one true message of the one true Christ, many early Christians were distracted by the “strange teachings” of internal issues of legalism and history. In this week’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he speaks sternly to them because they are simply not getting along. Even those who tried to preach the good news to non-believers were setting a poor example because their own words and actions were inconsistent with their preaching. 

Paul chastises the Ephesians for fighting amongst themselves and for being rude, disrespectful, insulting, judging, and gossiping: “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” Paul directs the Ephesians in the same way as Jesus directs His followers in today’s Gospel passage: “Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from Him comes to me.” The lesson we learn from both Jesus and His Father is a lesson of love. Paul reminds the Ephesians (and us) that Jesus Christ is “the way” and they, as followers of “the way” must remain united in Jesus. Nothing should ever interfere with that reality. 

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul told them that they should fix their “thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Those excellent, praise worthy things would be the life of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice for us, His love for us, and His desire to be with us for all eternity. The messages to the Ephesians, Hebrews and the Philippians remain relevant and applicable to all Christian churches today; to the Catholic Church in particular as the standard bearer of Christianity; and, to our parish as the face of Jesus Christ in Dana Point. God bless us all as we try to remain focused, forgiving, and faithful!